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Veronese Pearà Recipe

Veronese Pearà Recipe

Pearà is a traditional sauce from Verona, Italy, made from stale bread, marrow, broth and black pepper. The marrow is melted before adding the grated or crumbles stale bread. Then broth is added as the sauce cooks over several hours. The ground pepper is reserved for last.

Pearà sauce is popular mostly in the Verona region of Italy, where it’s a staple to the locals but a delicacy to visitors. The word Pearà means ‘peppery’ in Veronese dialect. Some locals make Pearà by first toasting the stale bread which imparts a slightly different flavor to the sauce. It’s believed that the sauce tastes best when made the way it was first prepared by using a clay cooking pot.

Pearà is an accompaniment for many dishes but the most popular way to eat it is with Lesso which is a dish made from a variety of meats which can include sausages, veal, beef ribs, cows tongue, boiled in broth. Whilst it is called lesso in Verona, it is known as Bollito Misto throughout the other parts of Italy.

Origin & Cultural Significance

Pearà’s history is rumored to have come from royal origins. Alboin, King of the Lomabards bride, Queen Rosamund was near starving to death. Her lack of appetite was due to her new husband having killed her father, King Cunimund. Alboin ordered a rich sauce be made for his new wife. The sauce worked too well. Later, with the help of her lover Queen Rosmunda would have Alboin murdered in revenge. It’s been loved by the Veronese ever since.

Pearà in bowl

Veronese Peara Recipe

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Peara is a traditional sauce from Verona, Italy made from stale bread, marrow, broth and black pepper.

Ingredients

  • Stale bread - 2 oz.
  • Fresh ox marrow - 4 oz.
  • Beef broth - 1 L
  • Freshly ground pepper - to taste
  • Extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Using a knife, remove the marrow from the bones.
  2. Melt the marrow over low heat.
  3. Once melted, pour it into a strainer to remove impurities. 
  4. Place the marrow back into the pot over low heat.
  5. Add the finely grated breadcrumbs to the hot marrow and mix well by stirring with a wooden spoon.
  6. Add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. 
  7. Add some of the broth.
  8. Cook for at least two hours, adding the broth consistently throughout that time until all as been used up. Stir frequently. 
  9. To finish, add plenty of freshly ground pepper.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 212Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 677mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g

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